(Editor’s note: The following is a submission to The Recorder’s weekly column, “Faith Matters.” Each Saturday, a different faith leader in Franklin County offers a personal perspective in this space. To become part of this series, email religion@recorder.com or call 413-772-0261, ext. 265.)
By REV. THOMAS LISOWSKI
This reflection is about the celebration of our faith, of Loving God and finding Him in our hearts, our neighbors and in our parish communities. It is about God’s healing love and how we can find strength to weather any storm. It is an intensely personal experience and yet encompasses our families, our loved ones and our communities.
The Catechism of the Catholic Church reminds us that “the Anointing of the Sick is a liturgical and communal celebration, whether it takes place in a family home, a hospital or church, for a single sick person or for a whole group of sick persons” (CCC, no. 1517).
The United States Catholic Catechism for Adults (USCCB) continues: “Increasingly today, there is an effort to bring people together for a communal celebration of the Sacrament, usually in a parish church.”
So, how do we get from intensely personal to a community celebration? It is pretty safe to say that most everyone has had some experience of illness, personal or otherwise. Anyone older than a few years can remember having the flu or a scraped knee. As we age, we deal with sickness or loss of a loved one: a family member, grandparent, parent or relative. We are considered extremely lucky if at this moment these are the only losses we have dealt with. After all of my years of ministry I have seen more and more people who deal with intense personal loss or illness. In this age of the baby boomer, science and medical advancement has gifted us with longer life spans. The result has given us more and more individuals with chronic or long term illnesses which are managed by the health care system. We also have a much larger elderly population. We encounter all kinds of illnesses which require major surgery and long recovery times. Terminal illnesses can be managed for a longer period of time. All of these conditions are excellent reasons to celebrate the Sacrament of Anointing of the Sick.
While medical science can work wonders for our bodies, how do we take care of our spirit and our mind? The Church provides us with the Sacrament of Anointing for strengthening of our faith, our mind and as necessary our bodies. “The primary effect of the Sacrament is a spiritual healing by which the sick person receives the Holy Spirit’s gift of peace and courage to deal with difficulties that accompany serious illness or the frailties of old age. The Holy spirit renews our faith in God and helps us to withstand the temptations of the Evil One to be discouraged and despairing in the face of suffering and death (the United States Catholic Catechism for Adults (USCCB)”.
Five years ago, I was diagnosed with an illness and underwent surgery. While on the operating table, crashing, I had an experience which was otherworldly and Divine. My surgeon and medical team described my next 10 days as being as close to death without being six feet in the ground. What followed was two and a half months of excruciating rehab. From the first surgery until the present day, I have undergone some 22 procedures, with one in the foreseeable future.
I would describe my journey as nothing less than miraculous, filled with grace and healing. It is this personal experience and the support and strength provided by Anointing and Healing Mass which has lead me to Celebrating the Sacrament of the Sick within the context of Mass.
Here, is where we move from personal experience to community celebration of the Sacrament. Sickness is a personal experience but rarely if ever, is it experienced alone. We are surrounded by doctors, specialists, nurses, caregivers, family, friends and community. When one person suffers it is felt by each and every person connected to them. With Grace, we are offered consolation, strength and support by our loved ones, family and community, so as not to face any illness alone.
The Sacrament of Anointing of the Sick is always celebrated within the context of a liturgy: a penitential rite, the liturgy of the word, a request for family and friends to pray for the sick person and the Anointing itself. All of these requirements are met in the Celebration of the Mass.
Personal becomes communal, faith is strengthened by the community worship and witness. The community of St. Patrick’s celebrates the Sacrament of the sick within the context of Mass roughly every three months with as many as 22 people anointed during the liturgy. The Mass on Saturday, Oct. 22, at 4 p.m., has at least 12 members who are to be anointed. This is a great opportunity for anyone suffering from physical, emotional, or spiritual ailments to experience the Faith, hope and love of our forgiving and redemptive God.
About St. Patrick’s Church
St. Patrick’s is a small New England community church in the town of Northfield. We are a Roman Catholic church at 80 Main St., with some 100 families. We share a rural town with several faiths. Our weekend services are on Saturdays at 4 p.m. and Sundays at 9 a.m. We celebrate weekday Masses at 8 a.m. on Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays. There is a 5:30 p.m. Mass on Wednesdays and prayer service each Friday at 8 a.m. For more information, call 413-498-2728 or email stpats2@msn.com